Former UFC champion Velasquez jailed for attempted murder

Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez has received a five-year prison sentence for attempted murder.

Velasquez, 42, pleaded no contest to attempted murder, felony assault and other related gun charges last August in California following a shooting he committed in 2022.

The American shot at a vehicle carrying three people, including 46-year-old Harry Goularte, injuring another man in the truck in the arm and torso.

Goularte was the intended victim and, according to the district office, is facing felony child molestation charges, which he has pleaded not guilty to.

Defence attorney Renee Hessling called the ruling "bittersweet" as she had hoped to avoid a prison sentence for Velasquez.

Velasquez has been on house arrest since November and received 1,283 days of time served, reducing his sentence.

"Throughout it all, Cain has shown courage and strength of character," Hessling said in a statement.

"He has taken responsibility for his actions and has been held accountable. The sentence handed down today reflects the complexities of the situation and acknowledges the man behind the headlines."

In a recent interview on the Kyle Kingsbury Podcast, Velasquez accepted responsibility for his actions.

"We cannot put the law in our own hands, I know what I did, and I know what I did was very dangerous to other people," he said.

"Not just people involved, but innocent people. I understand what I did and I'm willing to do everything I have to [do] to pay that back."

Velasquez injured Paul Bender in the shooting during an 11-mile car chase, where he fired multiple times from a handgun.

Velasquez fought 15 times in the UFC, twice winning the heavyweight title with wins over Brock Lesnar and Junior dos Santos.

The California native retired after a knockout defeat by Francis Ngannou in 2019, with a record of 14 wins and three losses.